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A. T. uAwsow AND G. T. BUCKHAM.

MACHINE GUN. APPucAnoN FILED JAN. 15. 1919.

1 ,3 1 4,734 v Patented Sept. 2, 1919;

UNITED sTATEjs "P TENT oEEioE.

v ARTHUR TREvOE newsdn AND GEORGE THOMAS UOKHAM, O WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS To VICKERS LIMITED, or wEsTMInsTEE,

LONDON, ENGLAND.

MAC INE-eon,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed January 15, 1919. Serial NO. 271,282.

ing to Machine-Guns, of which the followmg is a specification.

This invention relates to machine guns of the well known Vickers automatic type havin a feed box through which a cartridge belt is fed step by step, the belt entering the feed box at the right hand side and issuing at the left. This arrangement of right hand feed may not always be desirable as for example when the gun has to be placed in a position where space at the right hand side is limited or when two guns are mounted side by Side on an aeroplane or a tank, and the cartridge belt boxes are placed between the gun; in either of these examples the provision of a left hand feed would be particularly advantageous.

According to the present invention we provide a feed box which is interchangeable with the existing right hand feed box and which is so constructed and arranged that it will operate to feed the cartridge belt from the left hand side without its being necessary to alter in any was the construction of the gun. In this manner by merely removing the .existing feed box which is arranged for right hand feed and replacing it by the new pattern feed box arranged for left hand feed, the gun is converted into one feeding from the left hand side; if later, it becomes necessary to revert back to the use of a gun of the usual type, this can be readily effected by Substituting the right hand feed box for the left hand feed box.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described more fully with reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which 2- Figure l is a perspective view of a feed box constructed in accordance with our invention, and Figs. 2 and 8 are respectively a plan and an and elevation of the feed box.

A is the feed box which is composed of a casting or forging similar to the casting or forging of the existing feed box, but is formed with two bosses A, B; of these bosses the former receives the depending pin a of a bell crank lever a, a, the arm a of which is connected to the sliding plate A carrying the feed pawls and the arms a is formed with a slot withwhich engages an arm 6 carried by one end of a spindle b passing through the second boss B. The other end of this spindle carries the usual arm I) for engaging with the recoil plate as is Well understood. By these means the movements imparted to the sliding plate A are the reverse of those in the existing feed box, thus enabling the feeding or supply of the cartridge belt to the feed box to be effected from the left hand side of the gun as above stated.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an automatic gun of thebarrel-recoiling and 'cartridgebelt feed box type, a feed box of the usual type, a belt-actuating device carried thereby, a device carried by the feed box for operation by the recoiling part of the gun, and a member interposed between the belt actuating device and the recoil operated device for reversing the usual action of the belt actuated device and the consequent direction of movement of the belt; substantially as described.

2. In an automatic gun of the barrel-recoiling and cartridge-belt feed box type, a feed box of the usual type, a sliding plate carried thereby, feed pawls carried by the sliding plate to actuate the belt, a lever on the feed box Operated by the recoiling part of the gun, and a two-armed lever for operating the sliding plate interposed between the latter and the recoil-operated lever and having one arm engaged with the sliding plate and the other arm with the recoil-operated lever so as to reverse the usual direction of action of the plate and its pawls upon the belt; Substantially as described.

3. In an automatic gun of the barrelrecoiling and cartridge-belt feed box type, a feed box of the usual type, a belt actuating device carried thereby, a device carried by the feed box for operation by the recoiling part of the gun and a bell crank lever for operating the belt actuating device pivoted device and the consequent direction of moveat its apex on the box and having one arm ment of the belt; substantially as described. operatively engaged by the recoil operated In testimony whereof We afiiX our signadevice and the other arm operatively engagtures.

5 ing the belt actuating device so as to re- ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON.

verse the usual action of said belt actuating GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM.

Qopie: of thin patent may be obtained for five cent: each, by addressing the'diiflfisflibhebot Iatents. wa'mm ton, 11. 0; 

